Belconnen's History

In terms of urban settlement
Belconnen is forty years old in 2006. Development started
at Aranda in 1966 and eventualy moved out, the most
recent urban development being Dunlop and Bruce. Belconnen
had been settled by Europeans farmers since the mid
1800s and some traces of agricultural activity remain.
Before then it had been the home of the Ngunnawal people
for some thousands of years.

Timeline and Judy the
great

Below are two stories on Belconnen
History both compiled Belconnen historians Brian Rhynehart
and Elizabeth Burness. Brian's is a timeline on Belconnen
Events and Elizabeth writes on former character "judy
the great". Access Judy

Belconnen history timeline

compiled by Brian
Rhynehart

Pre-June 1966

Pre-June 1966 Or How it
was.
The line of the original full-blooded Aboriginal
inhabitants (Ngunawal people) of the area is believed
to have ended with the death in Queanbeyan of
Nellie Hamilton, ("Queen" Nellie (c1835-1897)).
Nellie was the wife of the Aboriginal Ginninderra
cricketer Bobby Hamilton.

Many of the older settlers had moved on and the
district had waned since land acquisitions had
commenced in 1913. The Ginninderra school had
been closed in 1911 when the new school at Hall
opened.

There was a small reprieve for the district when
several of the former major properties were partially
sub-divided into soldier settlement blocks in
the years following the return of troops from
World War 1.

The Ginninderra Police Station had closed in
1927 and the Ginninderra Post Office had closed
in 1962.

The cemeteries at St. Paul's (The church &
school had been officially opened in October 1861
but activity had ceased about 1900 and the manse
and other remaining buildings were in disrepair.
The cemetery was desecrated by the construction
of the suburb of Evatt and a few interments outside
the formal grounds were lost forever) and Weetangerra
(The Methodist church had been moved from Lyneham
to the site in 1873 and 44 burials were recorded
in this cemetery. The church was dismantled in
195? and a small stone cairn was erected on the
site) had closed and there was no active church
(ref. Pioneer Parson of Early Canberra: Rev. Pierce
Gilliard Smith, Minister of St. John the Baptist
Church, Reid (1855-1905), John Cope, 2006, Ginninderra
Press, Charnwood, ACT.).

The rural properties of Pine Ridge, Strathnairn
(Both Pine Ridge & Strathnairn properties
are situated off what is now Stockdill Drive),
Lands End (South west of the intersection of Drake
Brockman and William Hovell Drives), Baringa,
Kama (South of Hawker), Cranleigh (Northwest of
the intersection of Southern Cross and Kingsford
Smith Drives, it was built for Lieutenant General
James Gordon Legge CB, CMG, MA, LLB (15/8/1863-18/9/1947)
in 1923. He raised pigs and horses and cultivated
potatoes), Belconnen and Melrose (Off the old
Charnwood Road near the intersection with the
old Weetangera Road; around the present section
34 Holt) were occupied (Much of this early history
information is courtesy of Elizabeth Burness writing
from: - Ginninderra, forerunner to Canberra: a
history of the Ginninderra District. Lyall Leslie
Gillespie, 1992, Lyall L. Gillespie, Canberra
ACT.).

A small part of the village of Hall (named for
Henry Hall (1812-1880), formerly of Charnwood)
(Some building foundations on the site of the
former 'Charnwood' property were reportedly destroyed
on instructions from the NCDC in the early 60s
in the name of safety), which had been established
in 1886 and was an active settlement was included
in the district.

Built adjoining the former Weetangerra Public
School which had not been used since the end of
World War 2, the Weetangerra Post Office / telephone
exchange (A telephone switchboard had been installed
in 1926) was still partially operating and occupied
as a residence by Leslie & Barbara Tong. It
had been constructed in the early 20s from one
of the Molonglo Internment Camp buildings, which
had been transported to the site in 3 sections
(ref. The Molonglo Mystery, Alan Foskett, 2006,
Alan Foskett, Campbell ACT. see also The Canberra
Courier, 12th February 1970).

Glenloch, south of Mt. Painter, was a working
property and Fassifern equestrian park, west of
Dunlop, was also reportedly active.

The cemeteries at St. Paul’s and Weetangerra
had closed and there was no active church. The
rural properties of Pine Ridge, Strathnairn, Lands
End, Baringa, Kama, Cranleigh, Belconnen and Melrose
were occupied. A small part of the village of
Hall (named for Henry Hall, formerly of Charnwood),
which had been established in 1886 and was an
active settlement was included in the districtBuilt
adjoining the former Weetangerra Public School
which had not been used since the end of World
War 2, the Weetangerra Post Office / telephone
exchange was still partially operating and occupied
as a residence by Leslie & Barbara Tong. It
had been constructed in the early 20s from one
of the Molonglo Internment Camp buildings, which
had been transported to the site in 3 sections.
Glenloch was a working property and Fassifern
equestrian park was also reportedly active.

1930

The Belconnen Naval Transmitting Station (est.
1939) comprising 2 transmitting halls, several aerial
arrays, a guardhouse, accommodation, messing facilities,
a plant room, workshop and stores was an integral
part of the district. Extensions, which had been
added in the 50s and 60s, included a two-storey
administration building, a regulating office and
maintenance rooms. A prominent station event in
a non-military application was the broadcasting
to many overseas countries of the 1956 Melbourne
Olympic Games.

1950

An 11Kv line to supply electricity to the rural
properties around Weetangerra had been completed
in October 1950 by the Canberra Electricity Supply

Access to the Belconnen District from the city
and north Canberra was via Weetangera Road (a gravel
road originating from Dryandra Street O’Connor,
opposite Lomandra Street).

A 330 / 132 Kv substation was being constructed
on behalf of the Electricity Commission of NSW on
part of the former Belconnen Farm.

1956

Results of events in the Melbourne Olympics sent
to the world from the Belconnen Naval radio transmitters.

1964

The $218,000 Belconnen Telephone Exchange, situated
on Emu Ridge, which had been commenced about 1964
– 1965, was at an advanced stage with the
commencement of equipment installation.

1965

The provision of basic infrastructure, telephones,
electricity, sewers, stormwater and water had started
about 1965, some roads had been constructed and
the basic street layout in the area to be known
as Aranda was in place. A recently developed method
of providing kerbs & gutters; where the kerb,
rather than being perpendicular, sloped back, was
employed on all residential streets. This concept
removed the requirement to return at a later date
and break the kerb to install the driveways in the
appropriate positions.

There were some 25 sites (some not properly identified
at that time) of aboriginal significance, including
pathways, a scarred tree, places of artefact scatterings
and some axe grinding groves, in the district.

There were sites of local significance that were
not identified in the official list, e.g.:- several
rural/semi-rural buildings, tree plantings around
Charnwood, The Glebe and Weetangerra.

The remaining natural and early settlement sites
that were considered to be significant included
the Ginninderra Police Station, the Ginninderra
Creek Settlement site (aka Ginninderra Estate or
Palmerville), the Belconnen Farm, the Ginninderra
Wetlands, the Weetangerra Cemetery, Gossan Hill,
Rosebud Apiary (the demolished & transplanted
Hillview homestead), the College Street road cutting
& Mount Painter (originally called Round Hill).

1966

The district of Belconnen was defined in the Australian
Capital Territory “Districts Ordinance 1966”,
gazetted on 31st March 1966.

23/6/1966

Amid heightened security resulting from the shooting
of the Leader of the Opposition, Arthur Calwell
in Sydney a few days earlier, the District of Belconnen
(A name associated with the locality since the days
of the early settlers. The name was taken from a
land grant in the area, made in 1837, to the explorer
Captain Charles Sturt.) was inaugurated by the Minister
for the Interior, John Douglas (Doug) Anthony. M.P.
A Commemoration Stone was laid in the Aranda playing
fields. Some of the officials present were:- Eric
Keehn (First assistant secretary (lands), Department
of the Interior), Lou Engledow (Secretary &
manager, NCDC), Richard Kingsland (Secretary of
Interior), James Harold (Jim) Pead (chairman, ACT
Advisory Council), Peter Harrison (director of town
planning, NCDC).

1966

The Electricity Commission of NSW energised the
330 / 132 Kv Substation on Parkwood Road west of
the area that became the Belconnen Golf Club.

1967

The first residential leases in Aranda were offered
at auction.

1967

The suburbs of Aranda (named for an Aboriginal
Tribe of Central Australia, with a street theme:-
names of Aboriginal Tribal units) and Macquarie
(named for Major-General Lachlan Macquarie (1762-1824)
[Governor of NSW 1810-1821], with a street theme:-
contemporaries of Governor Macquarie) were gazetted

1967

Construction commenced, beside Ginninderra Creek,
west of the proposed suburb of Macgregor, for the
Belconnen Water Pollution Control Centre.
The decision was made by the National Capital Development
Commission to create a Lake on Ginninderra Creek.
Revegetation of the area was commenced

1967

First settlers in the suburbs of Aranda and Macquarie.

1967

Detailed planning and provision of the initial
infrastructure for the Belconnen Town Centre was
commenced.

1967

Construction was commenced for the Postmaster
Generals Department of the Scullin Telephone Exchange
on the corner of Belconnen Way and Kingsford Smith
Drive.

10/11/67

The first section (1½ miles) of Belconnen
Way was opened by the Minister for the Interior,
Peter James Nixon.
After driving to Aranda the keys for the first government
house to be allocated in Aranda were handed over
in a subsequent ceremony.

1968

Macquarie Primary School opened.

1968

The Belconnen trunk sewer line to the Belconnen
Pollution Control Centre was completed

1968

On a 300 acre reserved site, the bulk earthworks
for the first buildings of the Canberra College
of Advanced Education at Bruce were commenced.

1968

First foreshadowed in the 1966-67 NCDC Annual
Report, a new high school, built as Aranda or Belconnen
High School on the corner of Belconnen Way and Bindubi
Street, was completed.

1968

The former Weetangerra Post Office/telephone exchange
was officially closed

The Minister for Education and Science, Senator
John Grey Gorton approved the transfer of the Canberra
High School from their building at Acton to the
recently completed building at Belconnen, which
was temporarily being used by the Canberra College
of Advanced Education.

1968

The suburbs of Belconnen (named for a property
in the area, with a street theme:- Lord Mayors &
Mayors) and Weetangera (named for Weetangerra, a
former name of the district & a parish in the
area, with a street theme:- Pioneers of the Australian
Capital Territory) were gazetted.

1968

First settlers in the suburbs of Cook and Page.

1968

The Commonwealth Railways and the NSW Railways
Department announced a rail line to Belconnen. The
inference gained was that the envisaged route would
approximate the earlier surveyed and proposed Canberra
to Yass alignment.

28/10/68

The Canberra College of Advanced Education was
established. John Grey Gorton, Prime Minister, unveiled
an inappropriately placed foundation stone.

1968 (december)

Aranda Shopping Centre opened.

1969 (January)

820 Canberra High School students moved into the
new high school on the corner of Belconnen Way and
Bindubi Street that had originally been designated
as Aranda or Belconnen High School.

1969 (January)

Aranda Primary School opened.

1969

The NCDC accepted tenders for the extension of
Caswell Drive to Lady Denman Drive.

1969

The Scullin Telephone Exchange, built for the
Postmaster Generals Department (now Telstra), was
commissioned

1969

Construction of a 15 million gallon water reservoir
just east of Bruce Ridge was completed.

1969

Construction of the Jamison Group Centre, Macquarie
(named for Thomas Jamison, a surgeon with the First
Fleet) was commenced.

1969

Construction of Cook Primary School commenced.

1969

Construction of Page Primary School commenced.

1969

First settlers in the suburbs of Higgins and Scullin.

1969 (August)

Canberra High School was officially re-opened
by John McEwen; Deputy Prime Minister, Minister
for Trade and Industry.

1969 (November)

Construction commenced in the suburb of Hawker
for the $1.5 million replacement Belconnen High
School. The contract was awarded to George Wimpey
& Co. Ltd.

1970 (January)

Some Canberra College of Advanced Education Administration
staff moved from their temporary accommodation at
220 Northbourne Avenue to Bruce.

1970 (January)

Between 12:30 & 2:00 an estimated ¾
inch of rain and hail was dumped on Belconnen, the
worst effected area was Aranda where lawns and fences
were carried away and water entered at least three
houses in Darambal Street.
Flooding also occurred at the intersection of Belconnen
Way and Petterd Street, a problem that persisted
at least a decade.

1970 (February)

Scullin Pre-School opened for its first children.

1970

Construction of the Melba Telephone Exchange in
Verburgghen Street for the Post Master Generals
Department (now Telstra) was commenced.

1970

Building 1, a three-storey multi-purpose building,
was opened for 1147 Canberra College of Advanced
Education students.

1970 (May)

The NCDC called tenders for the construction
of the Cameron Offices in the Belconnen Town Centre.
The completed offices would house Commonwealth
Departments.
A $534,000 road works contract was let for extensions
to Kingsford Smith and Southern Cross Drives.

1970 (May)

Scullin Primary School opened to its first students.

1970 (May)

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School, Aranda,
opened to its first students.

A contract was let and construction of the $8.6
million Cameron Offices complex in the Belconnen
Town Centre, designed by John Andrews & built
by T. C. Whittle P/L, was commenced.
(They were demolished in 2006)

1970 (August)

The Minister for the Interior, Peter James Nixon,
officially opened the Jamison Shopping Centre.
(the "By Jove its Jamison campaign")

137 points of rain falling in less than 10 minutes
on the suburb of Aranda caused flooding in Gurnai
Place, Banjalong Crescent and Bindaga Street, entering
a house in Gurnai Place.
A car park at the College of Advanced Education
was flooded with two cars floating away and several
others damaged, a storeroom also sustained some
damaged.
Flooding occurred on Belconnen Way at Petterd Street
Page.

1971 (February)

Stage 1 of the Belconnen High School opened for
the first intake of students.

1971 (March)

The Canberra College of Advanced Education (now
Uni of Canberra) enrolled 1968 students and opened
the Maintenance Building and Boiler House.

The Latham Zone Electrical Substation was completed
and commissioned for the ACT Electricity Authority.

1971

The Melba Telephone Exchange was commissioned.

1971

Canberra’s population was 143,600 and the
population of Belconnen was 19,900.

1971

First settlers in the suburb of Latham.

1971

The Belconnen Ambulance Station and Police Station
in Lathlain Street were opened.

1971 (September)

The suburbs of Charnwood, (named for the property
over which it was constructed, with a street theme:-
pioneers of New South Wales) Flynn, (named for Reverend
John Flynn (1880-1951) [Founder of the Royal Flying
Doctor Service], with a street theme:- Flying Doctor
Service & inland missions) Macgregor (named
for Sir William Macgregor (1846-1919) [Governor
of Queensland 1909-1914], with a street theme:-
Medical Profession) and Melba (named for Dame Nellie
Melba (1861-1931) [World famous coloratura soprano],
with a street theme:- Musicians) were gazetted.

1971 (September)

The Belconnen Fire Station in Lathlain Street
was opened.

1971 (October)

Proposed and discussed at 200 beds in 1966 and
by J.R. Fraser MHR, with a suggested realistic capacity
of 600 beds the Australian Government signed an
agreement with The Little Company of Mary for the
provision of a 200-bed hospital in the Australian
Capital Territory. The anticipated site for construction
was land in the Belconnen District previously earmarked
for a hospital.

1971

Ginninderra Creek was dammed to commence the formation
of Lake Ginninderra.

1972 (February)

For the third year in a row extreme February rainfall
caused flash flooding in the Belconnen District;
in this instance a woman and her car were washed
about 100yds down Ginninderra Creek whilst trying
to cross a culvert on the Charnwood Road.

1972 (February)

Latham Primary School opened

1972 (March)

The Canberra College of Advanced Education (now
Uni of Canberra) opened the Applied Science Building
(Building 3), Lecture Theatre Centre (Building 2),
stage 1 of the Sports Centre (Building 4) &
residences for an additional 100 students that were
completed during the preceding year.
2377 students were enrolled.

1972

First settlers in the suburbs of Flynn, Holt,
Hawker, MacGregor and Melba.

1972 (November)

The suburbs of Evatt (named for Dr. Herbert Vere
Evatt (1894-1965) [Politician & Justice of the
High Court], with a street theme:- the Legal Profession)
and Spence (named for William Guthrie Spence (1846-1926)
[“Father” of the Australian Workers
Union], with a street theme:- Trade Unionists) were
gazetted.

1972 (December)

Built by T.H. O’Connor in the suburb of
Hawker, The Belconnen Way Hotel and the Darwin wing
of the Belconnen Way Motel opened.

1973 (February)

Holt, Melba and Weetangera Primary Schools opened
to their first intake of students.

1973 (February)

Belconnen’s first set of traffic lights
was made operational at the intersection of Belconnen
Way & Caswell Drive.

1973 (March)

Designed by John Andrews, the Canberra College
of Advanced Education (now Uni of Canberra) opened
residences for an additional 100 students that were
completed during 1972.
3017 students were enrolled.

1973 (March)

Contracts were let by the NCDC for the construction
of the Melba and Scullin Health Centres.

1973

Progressive occupation of the partly constructed
Cameron Offices by the Australian Bureau of Statistics
was commenced.

1973

First settlers in the suburbs of Charnwood and
north Evatt.

1973 (June)

Melba Health Centre completed.

1973 (July)

As a result of design and construction problems
around the Belconnen Town Centre, a temporary bus
interchange was established at Higgins shops.

1973 (July)

Scullin Health Centre completed.

1973

Construction of Belconnen Golf Course, west of
Holt, was commenced.

1973

The embankment damming the flow of Ginninderra
Creek was completed.

1973 (December)

Construction was commenced of the Kippax Health
Centre.

1974 (January)

The suburbs of Fraser (named for James Reay (Jim)
Fraser (1908-1970) [ACT politician], with a street
theme:- early ACT residents), Giralang (named from
the Wiradhuri word for ‘STAR’, with
a street theme:- aboriginal words for stars, astronomers
and constellations seen from the Southern Hemisphere),
Kaleen (named from the Wiradhuri word for ‘WATER’,
with a street theme:- Australian rivers) and McKellar
(named for Gerald Colin McKellar (1903-1970) [Senator
1958-1970], with a street theme:- journalists) were
gazetted.

1974 (February)

Evatt, Flynn (designed in 1972 by Enricho Taglietti,)
and MacGregor Primary Schools opened for their first
intake of students.

1974 (February)

Ginninderra High School in Holt opened for its
first students.

1974 (February)

Cranleigh Special School at Holt opened.

1974 (March)

The Canberra College of Advanced Education (now
Canberra Uni) opened (Building 8) the Library, which
was completed during the preceding year.
3219 students were enrolled.

1974

The Rotary Club of Belconnen’s Trash and
Treasure markets commenced in a section of the Jamison
Centre car park.

1974 (May)

Kenneth Lionel Fry (ALP) was elected in the new
seat of Fraser (which included Belconnen).

1974

First settlers in the suburb of Spence.

1974

The construction of the Lower Molonglo Water Quality
Control Centre, a tertiary staged wastewater treatment
facility designed by Caldwell Connell & built
by a joint venture of Dillingham and Ralph M. Parsons,
adjacent to the junction of the Molonglo and Murrumbidgee
Rivers, was commenced.

1974

Stage 1 of the Melba Flats (Baringa Gardens) was
completed for the NCDC.

1974

Australia Post opened a Mail Delivery Centre in
Cohen St. Belconnen.

1974

Designed by Enricho Taglietti, Giralang Primary
School construction started.

1974

Filling of Lake Ginninderra was completed.

1975 (February)

Charnwood Primary School opened to its first intake
of students.
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School (Charnwood)
opened to its first intake of students.

1975

Construction was underway of Hawker Secondary
College.

1975 (March)

The Canberra College of Advanced Education opened
the School of Teacher Education (Building 5) &
extensions to Building 1 that were completed during
the preceding year.
4659 students were enrolled for this year.

1975

Kippax Health Centre was completed.

1975

First settlers in the suburbs of Fraser and Giralang

1975

The eastern section of Ginninderra Drive and the
bridge across the northern arm of the lake were
under construction.

1975

The progressive occupation of sections of the
Cameron Offices by the Australian Bureau of Statistics
(a total of 1650 staff members) was completed.

1975

The Alice wing of the Belconnen Way Motel was
completed and opened.

1975

Service reservoirs were constructed at Weetangera
(45 Ml, on the eastern slopes of The Pinnacle) and
at Spence (67.5 Ml, at Clarey Crescent & Scattergood
Place).

1975 (July)

The first formally recorded meeting was held by
persons interested in providing a riding facility
for disabled children; potential clients were identified
as from Woden Valley Hospital and Hartley House.
The approved name was to be ‘The Disabled
Riders of the ACT.’

1975 (August)

The suburb of Florey (named for Baron Howard Florey
(1898-1968) [Medical Scientist], with a street theme:-
scientists) was gazetted.

1975 (November)

constitutionally Australia’s darkest day!
The blocking of supply and the implications of an
overthrown Federal Government had a deleterious
effect on public and private sector confidence (very
critical to the continued growth and development
of Canberra and in particular the development of
a half-finished District of Belconnen). The effects
rippled on for several years and brought to an end
the recently restarted talks about cross-border
development.

1975 (December)

The bulk earthworks on the site for the Belconnen
Mall were commenced.

1975 (December)

Being built for the NCDC and designed by Devine,
Erby and Mazlin Pty. Ltd., construction of the $7.4
million first stage of the main campus for the Bruce
College of Technical And Further Education (Now
Bruce CIT) at Bruce was commenced.
The proposed construction of the $2.2 million Benjamin
Way TAFE annex was announced. ‘The Disabled
Riders of the ACT’ held their 4th meeting
and accepted the name ‘Pegasus’ as their
business name, no permanent site had yet been obtained
but ad hoc riding was being conducted.

1976 (January)

Giralang Primary School, the Melba High School
and the Hawker Secondary College were opened.

1976 (March)

The Canberra College of Advanced Education opened
stage 2 of the Applied Science Building, a crèche,
the School of Environmental Design / Applied Geography
(Building 7) & some additional residences that
were completed during 1975.
4700 students were enrolled.

1976

An interim Belconnen Retail (fruit and Vegetables)
Markets were established in the centre area of Oatley
Court.

1976

Canberra’s population was 201,800 and the
population of Belconnen was 58,800.

1976

The Macquarie Swimming Pool, opposite the Jamison
Centre, was completed and opened.

1976

St. Francis Xavier Catholic College in Florey
completed.

1976 (August)

Built for Dr. Russell, construction of the first
stage of the Charnwood shops was completed. Early
starters being a newsagent, the Shop Rite Supermarket,
a Pharmacy and Butchers shop.
An independent Service Station was opened on an
adjoining site about the same time.

1976 (September)

The NCDC handed over the Belconnen Remand Centre,
built to house 16 men and 3 women, to the Department
of the Capital Territory.

1976 (September)

The Belconnen Remand Centre was officially opened
by Anthony Allan (Tony) Staley, Minister for the
Capital Territory.

1976 (September 20)

Construction of the $24 million Belconnen Mall
commenced for the Canberra Commercial Development
Authority.

1976 (September)

The official opening of Hawker Secondary College
by Senator John Leslie Carrick, Minister for Education.

1976 (October)

Originally known as “Ginninderra Centre
of the Little Athletics Association of New South
Wales”, the Ginninderra Little Athletics Centre
commenced competitions at the Charnwood Playing
Fields. The children were drawn from the suburbs
of Melba, Spence, Evatt, Charnwood, Macgregor and
Flynn. Registrations for the first season numbered
283.

1976

First settlers in the suburb of Kaleen.

1976 (October)

Ginninderra Drive from Evatt to North Canberra
was opened

1976 (Noveber)

The Belconnen Shopping Arcade, comprising 30 plus
shops, opened on the western side of Oatley Court.

1976 (December)

Taking some of the load off the Dickson station,
the Belconnen Ambulance Station changed to 24-hour
operation.

1977 (February)

Built at a cost of $1.8 million, Giralang Primary
School opened for first term.

1977 (February)

St. Francis Xavier College in Florey opened for
students.

1977 (March)

The Canberra College of Advanced Education opened
the Media Centre (Building 9) and Animal House (Building
?) that were completed during the preceding year.
4857 students were enrolled.

1977 (March)

Built in the area to become the suburb of Lawson,
the Belconnen Zone Electrical Substation was completed
and commissioned for the ACT Electricity Authority.

1977

Construction of the Cameron Offices, with their
unique architectural features such as the beam construction,
roof gardens & tennis courts and the spaces
between wings representing climatic zones from wet
to arid was completed.

1977 (March)

The Bruce College of Technical and Further Education
(Now CIT Bruce Campus) was formally established.

1977 (May)

The Belconnen Campus of the Bruce College of Technical
And Further Education (Now CIT Bruce Campus), in
Benjamin Way, was opened for the School of Electrical
Studies.

1977 (July)

Kippax Fair, in the Kippax Group Centre (named
for Alan Falconer Kippax), Holt was opened.

1977 (July)

The Australian Institute of Sport – National
Athletics Stadium, designed by Phillip Cox, was
completed.

1977 (August)

The final concrete was poured in stage-1 of the
Belconnen Mall construction.

1977

Kaleen High School was completed.

1977 (December)

The Australian Institute of Sport – National
Athletics Stadium, hosted the Pacific Conference
Games.

1978 (January)

Raymond John Groom, Minister for Environment,
Housing and Community Development, gave approval
for the construction of the Glenloch Interchange.

1978 (February)

Copland College and Kaleen High School opened
to first student intakes.

1978

Construction was commenced of the $6.9 million
Belconnen Bus Depot and Workshop.

1978 (February)

First day of trading following the completion
of stage-1 construction and the initial fit out
of the Belconnen Mall. The Mall was designed by
Cameron, Chisholm & Nicol and built by the joint
venture partnership of T. H. O’Connor Pty.
Ltd. and Costain Australia Limited for the Canberra
Commercial Development Authority and was irreverently
referred to as “Pead’s Palace”.

1978 (March)

Work commenced on the $200,000 1st stage of the
West Canberra Australian Football Club’s new
premises in Hardwick Crescent Holt; the builder
was Civil and Civic Pty. Ltd.

1978 (March)

The School of Administrative Studies building
(Building 6) was occupied and the Canberra College
of Advanced Education (now Uni of Canberra) enrolled
5176 students.

1978 (March)

A foundation Stone was laid for the West Canberra
Australian Football Club’s (Magpies) (now
Belconnen Magpies) new premises in Hardwick Crescent
Holt.

1978

At the Canberra College of Advanced Education
(now Uni of Canberra), extensions to house the School
of Environmental Design were completed.

1978 (April)

Causing damage estimated at a total of $1.5 million,
a fire at the Jamison shops caused extensive fire
damage to Youngs. It caused fire, smoke or water
damage to Boutique 23, the Civic Permanent Building
Society, Doug Baz Man’s Shop, Hendersons,
Jays, Macdonalds, Mansours, Marineland and Sussan’s.
The Coles New World store suffered water damage
and was flooded.
When the centre was rebuilt/refurbished, in spite
of rumblings from politicians and assembly members
about enclosing public space, the opportunity was
taken to enclose the open areas and install heating
and cooling (approval having been received a week
before the fire).

1978 (April)

The first leases for blocks in southwest Evatt
were offered for sale.
15,000 brown trout fingerlings were released into
Lake Ginninderra.

1978 (July)

Stage-2 of the Belconnen Mall; featuring the “Centre
Stage area”, a spiral staircase, a 23-person
glass lift and an additional 60 traders was opened.

1978 (July)

With the impending opening of the new covered
markets, the temporary Belconnen markets in Oatley
Court was closed.

1978 (July)

The permanent, covered, $300,000 Belconnen Retail
Market (fruit and vegetable markets) opened at the
Belconnen Way end of Lathlain Street.

The almost completed West Canberra Australian
Football Club (Magpies) at Kippax was opened for
a two-day public inspection and membership drive.

1978 (July)

The rebuilt/refurbished and enclosed Jamison Shopping
Centre was reopened.

1978 (August)

Administration staff from Belconnen and students
from the annex at Lyneham occupied the first stage
of the Bruce College of Technical And Further Education
(now CIT Bruce).

1978 (August)

Taking sewage from the south and central Canberra
that previously went to Weston Creek, the Lower
Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre was completed
and commenced operating.

1978 (September)

The Ginninderra Community Council made public
part of a report to the NCDC. The report criticised
the proposed development around Lake Ginninderra
foreshores and along the Ginninderra Creek corridor.

1978

Construction was commenced of the $1.5 million
Belconnen Bus Interchange.

1978 (October)

The Bruce College of Technical And Further Education
(now CIT Bruce) was inaugurated by Sir Zelman Cowan,
Governor-General of Australia.

1978 (October)

With the final stage of the initial Belconnen
Mall construction completed, the centre was officially
opened by the Minister for the Capital Territory,
Robert Paul (Bob) Ellicott.

1978

The Kippax ‘temporary’ Public Library
opened in transportable buildings adjoining the
almost completed Sportsworld.

1978 (October)

Although not fully functional, the Belconnen Bus
Workshop facility was opened.

1978 (November)

Copland College was officially opened by Kenneth
Lionel (Ken) Fry, Member for Fraser

1978

First settlers in the suburb of south Evatt.

1979 (January)

The Kippax Sportsworld (Fitness Centre & Pool)
was opened.

1979 (January)

After years of delays and design reviews, built
by Civil and Civic & designed by John Andrews
International, the Belconnen Bus Interchange was
opened amid persistent controversy.

1979 (February)

Fraser Primary School, designed by Collard, Clarke
and Jackson, opened to the first intake of students.

1979 (March)

Designed by Gordon M. Jenkins & associates
and built by Citra Constructions Ltd. Calvary Hospital
was blessed for the Little Company of Mary by the
most Reverend Edward Clancy, D.D. Archbishop of
Canberra and Goulburn and officially opened by the
Prime Minister, John Malcolm Fraser.
Xavier Building was named after Mother Xavier Lynch,
Little Company of Mary. Marian Building was named
for the Little Company of Mary spirit.
The adjoining Bruce Service Hostel was completed.

1979

Development of the Emu Ridge Flats (designed by
Daryl Jackson) and Town Housing (designed by Graham
Gunn) was commenced.

1979 (August)

Building D, Bruce College of Technical And Further
Education (now CIT Bruce) was occupied.

1979 (September)

Housing 250 buses undercover, the Belconnen Bus
Depot opened.

1979 (October)

The sewerage tunnel to divert flow from the Belconnen
Water Pollution Control Centre to the Lower Molonglo
Water Quality Control Centre was completed.

1979 (October)

Building D of the Bruce College of Technical And
Further Education (now CIT Bruce) was officially
opened.

1979

With all flow diverted to LMWQCC, the Belconnen
Water Pollution Control Centre closed.

1979 (December)

The first stage of the Belconnen Labor Club was
completed and opened by Former Prime Minister, Edward
Gough Whitlam.

1980 (January)

First meeting of the Belconnen Toastmasters Club.

1980

The second stage of the Belconnen Labor Club was
commenced.

1980

Charnwood High School completed.

1980

An integral link in the elevated pedestrian network
between the bus interchange and Belconnen Mall,
the Belconnen Churches Centre on the corner of Benjamin
Way and Joynton Smith Drive was completed.

Including a pre-School and a health clinic, Miles
Franklin Primary School in west Evatt was completed
and handed over.

1980 (june)

The $33 million stage 2 of the Benjamin Offices
was completed. Various government departments moving
in.

1980

Calvary Public Hospital Accident and Emergency
department opened.

1980

First settlers in the suburb of Florey.

1980 (October)

In a House of Representatives election Kenneth
Lionel (Ken) Fry (ALP) for Fraser (which includes
Belconnen) was re-elected .

1980 (November)

A white-water slide, 28 metres high (credited
as the tallest slide in the world) opened at the
Macquarie pool.

1981 (January)

With a price tag of $6.3 million, The Australian
Institute of Sport National Indoor Sports Centre,
designed by Phillip Cox (now known as the AIS Arena),
was opened by the Prime Minister, John Malcolm Fraser.

1981 (February)

The West Belconnen (Charnwood) Fire Station, designed
by Terry Dorrough, was opened.

1981 (May)

Built for the NCDC, designed by Devine, Erby and
Mazlin Pty. Ltd., the Bruce College of Technical
And Further Education (now CIT Bruce) Building F;
School of Building Studies and Building H; College
Centre and Library were officially opened by Wallace
Clyde (Wal) Fife, Minister for Education.

1981

Canberra’s population was 226,400 and the
population of Belconnen was 76,300.

1981

The $2.89 million extension of William Hovell
Drive from Coulter Drive to Kingsford Smith Drive
was started.

1981 (August)

Athol Williams of the Shop, Distributive and Allied
Employees’ Association met, in the original
Belconnen Mall Childcare Centre, with employees
of the retail establishments in the Mall to discuss
the divisive issue of retail trading hours.

1981 (September)

Built on the site of the former Emu Bank homestead,
the Belconnen Public Library, designed by Robin
Gibson, was opened by Sir Zelman Cowan, Governor-General
of Australia.

1981 (November)

Charnwood High School was officially opened by
Wallace Clyde (Wal) Fife, Federal Minister for Education.

1982 (March)

John Knight Memorial Park named to commemorate
the late Senator John William Knight (1943-1981),
who, as chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Committee
on the Australian Capital Territory, did much to
ensure the preservation of the Lake foreshore.

1982

The Belconnen Soccer Club acquired the former
Belconnen Way Hotel.

1982 (November)

The remodelled water slide at Macquarie pool opened.

1983 (January)

First meeting of the Benjamin Toastmasters Club.

1983

First settlers in the suburbs of Bruce, Belconnen
and McKellar.

1983 (March)

The Australian Institute of Sport – Tennis
and Gymnastics Training Halls and Indoor Tennis
Courts was opened by John Malcolm Fraser, Prime
Minister.

1983 (March)

Kenneth Lionel Fry (ALP )re-elected in Fraser.

1983 (March)

The picket line established by the Trades and
Labor Council & the Teachers Federation at the
Radford College site was withdrawn allowing commencement
of the bulk earthworks.

1983 (April)

From planning that commenced some nine years earlier
the Foundation Stone for Radford College was laid
by Bishop Cecil Warren.

1983 (July)

The Australian Institute of Sport, Indoor Swimming
Hall, designed by Daryl Jackson, was completed.

1984 (February)

Designed by Phillip Cox, Radford College opened
for the first intake of students, numbering 235.
It was was dedicated by Reverend Owen Dowling, Bishop
of Canberra & Goulburn and officially opened
by Sir Ninian Stephen, Governor-General of the Commonwealth
of Australia.

1984 (May)

Belconnen HasH House Harriers have the first run
from Labor Club.

1984 (November)

The Australian Institute of Sport – Frank
Stewart Training Centre was opened by the Minister
for Territories and Local Government, Thomas Reid
Uren.

!984 (December)

John Langmore elected to seat of Fraser.

1985 (July)

The Australian Institute of Sport – Sports
Science & Medicine Building was officially opened
by John Joseph Brown, Minister for Sport, Recreation
and Tourism

1985 (October)

The Australian Institute of Sport, Halls of Residence
and Administration Centre were opened by the Prime
Minister, Robert James Lee Hawke.

1985 (December)

An agreement was reached between the Commonwealth
Government, the Canberra Commercial Development
Authority and a prospective purchaser for the sale
of the Belconnen Mall.

1986

Commenced in 1984, the second stage of Radford
College was completed.

1986 (February-March)

The Minister for Territories, Gordon Glen Denton
Scholes, by notice in the Commonwealth gazette
of this date, abolished the Canberra Commercial
Development Authority (operators of the Belconnen
Mall).

The Commonwealth Government completed the 87
million dollar sale, agreered to in December 1985,
of the Belconnen Mall to the joint venture partnership
of the Commonwealth Superannuation Fund Investment
Trust and the Westfield Trust (Westfield Property
Group).

1986 (March)

Canberra College of Advanced Education (now Uni
of Canberra) opened the Computer Centre (Building
10).

1986 (July)

Canberra’s first community-based outdoor
recreation field was opened at Holt. The enclosed
field was provided by and will be maintained by
the West Belconnen Leagues Club for community organisations.

1986

Canberra’s population was 261,900 and the
population of Belconnen was 84,500.

1986 (October)

The suburb of Lawson (named for Henry Lawson (1867-1922)
[Short story writer and poet], with a street theme:-
the works of Henry Lawson) was gazetted.(But
it still has not been settled)

1987

Belconnen’s first roundabout was constructed
at John Cleland Crescent and Connah Street Florey.

1987 (February)

Lake Ginninderra College was opened.

1987

Calvary Private Hospital opened.

1987 (July)

John Vance Langmore (ALP) for Fraser and Roslyn
Joan Kelly (ALP) for Canberra were re-elected to
the House of Representatives.

1987 (July)

Florey Shopping Centre was completed and occupied.

1987 (August)

Kaleen Group Centre was completed and occupied.

1987

The Belconnen Community Centre was completed and
handed over.

1988

Canberra’s 75th Anniversary year.

1988

Built for Dominic and Frank de Marco, stage 2
of the Charnwood Neighbourhood Shopping Centre (the
two storey Fadco Building), was completed.

1988 (July)

Robert Francis (Bob) McMullan (ALP) was selected
under section 15 of the Australian Constitution
to replace Senator Susan Maree Ryan who had resigned
in January.

1988

Situated beside what would later become Margaret
Timson Park and providing a mixture of offices and
retailing Swanson Court and Northpoint Plaza were
completed and occupied.

1988

Charnwood Primary School was finally provided
with a hall to alleviate the congestion in the small
general-purpose area.

1988 (October)

Four Bills related to the Self-Government of the
Australian Capital Territory were introduced into
the House of Representatives.

An election was held employing a modified d’Hondt
system to elect 17 Members to the second ACT Legislative
Assembly.
Featured the world's larget ballot paper.

1992 (March)

The University of Canberra, Information Sciences
and Engineering Building (Building 11), designed
by Romaldo Giurgola were occupied. 9000 students
were enrolled.

1992 (November)

A variation to the Territory Plan was passed that
classified some land to the west of Charnwood and
Macgregor as ‘defined land’.

1993 (March)

In a House of Representatives election the sitting
member John Vance Langmore (ALP) for Fraser was
re-elected.
Sitting Senators Margaret Elizabeth Reid (Liberal)
and Robert Francis (Bob) McMullan (ALP) were re-elected.

1993 (August)

Built for ACT Capital Works, designed by Allen,
Jack and Cottier, Canberra Institute of Technology
(Bruce Campus) Building B; School of Electrical
and Electronic Studies, was officially opened by
Rosemary Follett, Chief Minister.

1993 (September)

Built for ACT Capital Works, designed by Allen,
Jack and Cottier, Canberra Institute of Technology
(Bruce Campus) Building E; Rural Training Centre,
was officially opened by William George Hayden,
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.

1993 (September)

Pursuant to the un-numbered variation to the Territory
Plan of November 1992 the suburb of Dunlop (named
for Sir Edward (“Weary”) Dunlop (1907-1993)
[Doctor and war veteran], with a street theme:-
inventors, inventions & artists) was gazetted.

1994 (January)

Work commenced on a bypass dam for the Lower Molonglo
Water Control Centre to store excess inflow during
storm events for full treatment at a more convenient
time.

A fire caused extensive damage to one wing of
the Flynn Primary School.

1994 (November)

Construction of the LMWQCC bypass dam was completed.

1995 (February)

An election was held employing the Hare-Clark
system to elect 17 Members in 3 electorates to the
third ACT Legislative Assembly.
Belconnen was included in Ginninderra.

1995 (May)

A fire in the Screenings and Incineration Building
at the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre
caused about $3 million damage and prevented sludge
incineration for 3 months; a fallback treatment
by Bio Recycle of centrifuging and windrow drying
before carting off site, was employed whilst repairs
were completed.

1995 (May)

The Westfield Shoppingtown (formerly the Belconnen
Mall) commenced construction of a $14 million entertainment
complex including an eight-screen cinema, interactive
indoor games site (Intencity), variety stores and
restaurants.

1995 (November)

Charnwood High School closed.

1996 (January)

As foreshadowed in October 1995, the Melba Health
Centre was closed.

1996 (February)

Ginninderra High School was combined with whatever
was left over from the former Charnwood High School
to form Ginninderra District High.

1996 (February)

Robert Francis McMullan resigned his Senate seat
to contest the House of Representatives election.

1996 (March)

A federal election was held that resulted in a
change of Government with the election of the John
Winston Howard Liberal / National Party of Australia
Government.
Locally in the House of Representatives, John Vance
Langmore (ALP) in Fraser retained his seat.

1996 (March)

Building 15, the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory /
Freshwater Research Centre at the University of
Canberra was occupied. Student enrolments were 8655.

1996 (April)

The buildings comprising the former Melba Health
Centre were demolished.

1996 (June)

The Australian Institute of Sport – Sports
Visitor Centre, designed by Daryl Jackson &
Alastair Swayn, was opened by the Federal Minister
for Sport, Territories and Local Government, Warwick
Leslie Smith.

1996

Calvary Hospital Residence Building A, named after
Sr Mark Maher of The Little Company of Mary, was
opened.
Rotary Cottage at Calvary Hospital was opened.

1996

Designed by Romaldo Giurgola, The Vice Chancellor’s
Residence at The University of Canberra, was completed.

1997 (February)

A by-election to fill a vacancy in the House of
Representatives for the seat of Fraser caused by
the December resignation of John Vance Langmore
(ALP) returned Steven John Dargavel (ALP).

1997 (April)

The Charnwood Inn was sold to the Canberra Labor
Club.
It commenced trading as the Ginninderra Labor Club
in mid July.

1997

The Calvary Clinic opened providing co-located
specialist services in a modern environment

1997 (October)

The Ginninderra Labor Club was officially opened
by Mr. Kim Beazley, leader of the Australian Labor
Party.

1998

The communities of Melba and Spence decided to
consolidate the two primary schools to form the
Mount Rogers Community school.

In a House of Representatives election the sitting
members Robert Francis (Bob) McMullan (ALP) for
Fraser (ALP) in Canberra, was re-elected.

1998 (December)

The Kippax Group Centre was refurbished

1999

Vine plantings commenced around Stockdill Drive
Holt and Pine Ridge.

1999

Major redevelopment/refurbishment of Calvary Private
Hospital was commenced.

2000 (March)

In a late-night sitting, by nine votes to eight,
the Legislative Assembly approved the joint venture
partnership between Actew and AGL.

2000 (June)

Construction of ABSHouse commenced.

2000

The old convent building at Calvary Hospital was
named after Sr Josephine O’Shannassy, Little
Company of Mary.

2000 (September)

Overcoming imported turf problems, the Bruce Stadium
played host to the Olympic Football (soccer) competitions.

2000 (December)

Entry to the Belconnen Naval Transmitting Station
was altered to reflect changes caused by development
of the surrounding suburbs. Many of the former disused
residences were removed.

2001

Woolworths at the Kippax Fair extended their supermarket
building up to Kippax Place.

2001 (April)

To commemorate the Centenary of Federation a Public
Performance Space was opened in Margaret Timson
Park and a ten-year Time Capsule was buried.

2001 (June)

The controversy plagued Kippax Fitness Centre
and Pool was permanently closed. Improvement notices
had been served in early April.

2001

The Oncology Clinic at Calvary Hospital was named
after Sr Zita Mary Lake, Little Company of Mary.

2001 (October)

An election was held employing the Hare-Clark
system to elect 17 Members in 3 electorates to the
fifth ACT Legislative Assembly.

2001 (November)

In a House of Representatives election the sitting
member Robert Francis (Bob) McMullan (ALP) for Fraser,
was re-elected.

2001 (N0vember)

The first sitting of the fifth ACT Legislative
Assembly took place.
Belconnen resident Jon Stanhope became ACT Chief
Minister, and another Belconnen resident Wayne Berry
became Speaker.

2002 (February)

Designed by Woods Bagot, ABSHouse was opened by
the Federal Treasurer, Peter Howard Costello.

2002 (March)

The University of Canberra enrolled 9010 students
for the year.

2002

The progressive refurbishment, demolition/reconstruction
of the remaining Benjamin Offices was commenced

2002

Construction of the Canberra International Sports
& Aquatic Centre on the corner of Eastern Valley
Way and College Street was commenced.

2003 (January 18)

A major bushfire, originating in NSW, which had
already devastated extensive rural pastures &
forests and several south side areas around Duffy,
reached West Belconnen; it burnt into the western
section of the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control
Centre, destroying some equipment, and up to the
rangers residence and the fences of the Strathnairn
property.

2003 (March)

The University of Canberra opened buildings 22
& 23, the UC Innovation Centre.

2003 (April)

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural
Affairs occupied stage 1 of the replacement building
in Chan Street.

2003 (April)

Centred on Belconnen, a Canberra North Branch
of the National Seniors Association was formed and
incorporated.

2003 (May)

Budgeted at $850,000 the refurbishment of Higgins
shops was commenced.

2003 (May)

The Urban Services Minister William James (Bill)
Wood officiated at the launch of the refurbished
Belconnen Library forecourt. The artworks comprised
a replacement sculpture and two murals.

2003 (May)

The construction of a new $8.65 million Joint
Emergency Services Centre to be built near the Winchester
Police Centre was announced. Based on studies that
commenced in January 1998 the centre was proposed
as a replacement for the aging Police, Fire and
Ambulance stations then located at the other end
of Lathlain Street.

2003 (June)

A plaque was unveiled at the Cameron Offices by
the Minister for Finance and Administration, Senator
Nicholas Hugh Minchin, to commemorate the refurbishment/demolition/desecration
of the buildings.

Designed by Peter Hunt and Associates, the Canberra
International Sports & Aquatic Centre opened
for Business. Features included:- a steam room,
a water slide, a spar pool, a dry courts area, a
hydrotherapy pool supported by a sports medicine
centre, three gym and aerobics areas, a childcare
centre and a coffee shop.

2004 (March)

The University of Canberra enrolled 9010 students
for the year.

2004 (August)

In a House of Representatives election the sitting
members Robert Francis (Bob) McMullan (ALP) for
Fraser was re-elected.

2004 (October)

An election was held employing the Hare-Clark
system to elect 17 Members in 3 electorates to the
sixth ACT Legislative Assembly.
In Ginninderra three ALP members and two Liberals
were returned.

2004 (November)

First Belconnen Festival Held on Saturday 13

2004 (November)

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural
Affairs occupied stage 2 of the replacement building
in Chan Street.

2005 (June)

The Royal Australian Navy decommissioned the Belconnen
Naval Transmitting Station.

2005 (July)

An announcement was made by the Education Minister,
Katherine Ruth (Katy) Gallagher, that the Ginninderra
District High School would be closed at the end
of the year and be replaced with a $40 million pre
- 10 ‘super school’ for around 1100
students.

2005 (August)

The product of over a year of meetings, the new,
permanent, Kippax Public Library was opened by Jon
Stanhope, Chief Minister.

2005 (November)

Site preparation commenced for residential development
in sections 105 to 108 Bruce.

2005 (November)

Second Belconnen Festival held on Saturday 12

2005 (November)

Belconnen fun run re-instated on Saturday 12

2006 (January)

Construction of the Gungahlin Drive extension
from the Barton Highway to Aranda was commenced.
The contract had been awarded to the joint venture
of Canberra Contractors Pty. Ltd., Guideline (ACT)
Pty. Ltd. and Woden Contractors Pty. Ltd.

2006 (January)

Following six months of consultation the Ginninderra
District High School was officially closed and preparation
for demolition commenced.

2006 (January)

Funeral held for Lyall Leslie Gillespie (23rd
July 1919 – 24th January 2006). Descendant
of a pioneer family in the district, former Commissioner
for Housing, former Canberra City Manager, local
historian, former president of the Canberra &
District Historical Society and author of several
publications on Canberra and the local district.

2006 (February)

After 3 years in the making and costing $22 million
the official opening of Bunnings Belconnen Store
was celebrated.
The Lathlain Street extension from behind the Markets
to Belconnen Way was completed.

2006 (February)

Belconnen High School and Hawker College were
cleaning up rain damage in some classrooms and the
oval between the schools was flooded following severe
thunderstorms.

2006 (March)

Demolition/rebuilding of the Jamison Shopping
Centre commenced.

2006 (March)

Restored by Canberra Car Club members and students
from Copland College Automotive Course, the former
Wilkies Pie Cart, a 1939 Chevrolet which had become
a landmark around Canberra Offices between the late
30s and early 70s was on display on the lawns near
Old Parliament House.

Site preparation for the 100-bed & 78 ILU
Calvary Retirement Community at Haydon Drive &
Jaeger Circuit, Bruce was commenced.

2006 (May)

The final contract for the third stage of the
Gungahlin Drive extension, from Aranda to Glenloch
Interchange, was awarded to the joint venture of
Guideline (ACT) Pty. Ltd., Canberra Contractors
Pty. Ltd. and Woden Contractors Pty. Ltd. Work commenced
immediately.

2006 (May)

On the site of the former Macgregor shops, Kings
Learn-to-Swim constructed a 6 lane, 20 metre learn-to-swim
complex with the ability to also hold hydrotherapy
sessions.

2006 (June)

Deferred because of rain on the 23rd, some children
from Aranda primary schools celebrated the 40th
birthday of their suburb and the district with a
walk around the suburb recognising how engineering
aspects had altered the former rural setting.

2006 (August)

Belconnen Library refurbishment was completed.

2006 (August)

The Spence Community Hall aka the Rosehill Tongan
Community Centre in Copland Crescent Spence suffered
an estimated $300,000 fire Damage.

2006 (August)

In line with a new company policy of asset refurbishment,
the glass lift at Westfield Belconnen was removed
for replacement.

2006 (August)

A three-day exercise was conducted in the Belconnen
Town Centre and at the site of the former Ginninderra
District High School to test the preparedness of
the Australian Federal Police and other emergency
services to respond to a terrorist threat.

2006 (November)

Third Belconnen Festival held on 11 November along
with the second of the re-instated Belconnen Fun
Run

To be updated as events occur

Elizabeth Burness at the very popular History tent
at the Belconnen Festival held on November 11 2006

Judy
the Great as compiled by

Elizabeth
Burness

Mrs Julia Webb known as ‘Judy the Great’

Mrs Julia Webb was a remarkable woman. She was the type
of woman every frontier town needed in colonial Australia.
Nothing was too difficult for her and it was a dreadful
shame that she did not live longer than her fifty seven
years.

Born in 1820 in Kilkenny, Ireland, she married John
Webb in 1840 and together they set off for the other
side of the world as Bounty migrants on the ‘Portland’
in 1841.
Already pregnant with Arthur, the first of her ten children,
including two sets of twins, it took John and Julia,
known as Judy, six weeks to travel from Sydney to the
Limestone Plains, (Canberra).

John and Julia stayed in the northern part of Canberra,
initially at Glenwood Station, just past Hall, owned
by James McCarthy who employed a substantial number
of Irish Catholic workers, including John. Once they
had settled in they moved to Henry Hall’s Charnwood
Station, now in the suburb of Fraser, and then finally
to part of the Springbank Estate near the O’Connor
Shopping Centre.

By this stage Judy had established herself as a nurse,
a midwife and someone who could be called on to prepare
the dead for burial. She attended some horrific cases
including Mrs Wells who some accounts say was attacked
by her husband with an axe. Her skill as a midwife was
legendary in that she reputedly never lost a child.

But early northern Canberra was no place for a nervous
lady. Indeed there were very few women in the region
as many of the early landowners had used assigned convict
labour as mainly shepherds for their vast unfenced holdings.
Judy was unfazed by these generally very lonely men
although she is reputed to have carried a hand gun.
She met with the notorious ‘Bungendore Bushranger’,
‘Jackey Jackey’ Westwood and thought him
‘one of nature’s gentlemen’.

But Judy did more for these lonely men than many others
in the district. She ran a ‘sly grog’ shop
in the 1850’s near where the suburb of Charnwood
is now. In 1854 she paid for an advertisement in a Goulburn
newspaper regretting the fact that she would have to
charge extra for her ’grog’ because the
carter had tipped over the dray on his way to Canberra
and had drunk a substantial amount of the contents.
Judy called herself ’Judy the Great’ in
this advertisement! Sadly her business came to a halt
when a disgruntled customer ‘dobbed her in’
to the police!

Judy’s life was hard and at the age of forty
in 1860, she gave birth to twin boys, William and Richard,
who lived less than a month. They are buried in her
grave and when she died seventeen years later, of fatty
degeneration of the heart, the community paid for a
handsome headstone for her. She was ’esteemed
by all’, not bad for a woman who could read but
not write, but had served her community in many ways,
and could be relied on by everyone in the frontier community
that became the National Capital. Sadly her infant sons
are not acknowledged on her gravestone.

This piece on Judy the great was compiled by Elizabeth
Burness, Elizabeth is continuing her research and would
love to hear from you. she can be contacted on 6161
6383